Graves' Disease
Graves' disease is a rare immune
disease affecting the thyroid gland (located in the neck region) by one’s own
immune system, hence it is classified as an autoimmune disease. Statistics
indicate the prevalence of 0.03% in certain population. Women are affected with
high frequency of 7:1 compared to men.
Graves' disease is the most common form of hyperthyroidism
and is characterized by abnormal enlargement of the thyroid gland (goiter)
resulting overproduction of thyroxine hormone than physiologically required. This augmented thyroxine
level can greatly increase affected person’s metabolic rate, which may affect
the subject in several ways, from mood to physical appearance and is generally
not life threatening. Symptoms of Graves' disease may
include unusual intolerance to heat, fatigue, weight loss, and protrusion of the
eyeballs from their sockets (exophthalmic goiter).
Graves' disease treatment includes radiation, antithyroid drugs to reduce the
production of thyroid hormone, and surgical excision of the gland (thyroidectomy).
In radiation treatment, radioisotope of iodine, called Iodine-131, accumulates
in the cells that make thyroid hormone and radiate the gland with a specific
kind of electromagnetic energy to slow thyroid production. Treatment with
antithyroid medications are usually prolonged and given for six months to two
years in order to be effective. There is not yet a scientifically plausible way
to stop immune system from attacking one’s own thyroid gland, but above
described treatments for Graves' disease can decrease the production of
thyroxine and ease symptoms.
An Irish physician named Robert James Graves and a German
Karl Adolph von Basedow independently reported the same symptoms in 1830s of
this exophthalmic goiter condition.
Contributor:
Duraiswamy Navaneetham PhD.
Temple University School of Medicine
Philadelphia, PA, USA September 2010
|
|
